[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: LIEN bulletin - Summer 2008 issue
Terrie
mocharebyl at gmail.com
Fri Aug 29 19:58:11 EDT 2008
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Zeenat Bhanji <bhanjiz at lao.on.ca>
Date: Fri, Aug 29, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Subject: LIEN bulletin - Summer 2008 issue
To:
Attached, please find the Summer issue of the LIEN bulletin.
<<LIEN bulletin - Summer 2008.pdf>>
For previous issues, including the recent Spring issue, go to ***
http://www.lowincomeenergy.ca/A55AB4/lien.nsf/All/bulletin*<http://www.lowincomeenergy.ca/A55AB4/lien.nsf/All/bulletin>
[image: Paintbrush Picture] [image: Picture (Metafile)]******
* *
The bi-monthly bulletin of the Low-Income Energy Network (LIEN)
Volume 3, No.3, Summer 2008
- *Ontario Energy Board to examine low-income energy consumer issues*
Due in part to the May 16th decision in LIEN's Divisional Court appeal
that found the OEB does have jurisdiction to implement rate affordability
programs for low-income residential consumers, the Board announced on July 2
nd that it was starting a consultation process to examine energy issues
associated with low-income consumers, such as rate assistance, arrears
management, disconnection procedures, emergency assistance, service charges
(i.e. late payment fees, reconnection charges), and low-income conservation
and demand management programs. Despite the Divisional Court appeal
decision, however, the Board still has not decided about whether or how they
should exercise their jurisdiction to consider the ability to pay when
setting utility rates.
The first step in the consultation is a stakeholder conference beginning
September 22nd, for which a report will be prepared summarizing the types
of instruments and programs used by energy regulators in other jurisdictions
in addressing issues of concern to low-income consumers. LIEN will be
participating in this important consultation and will focus on rate
assistance as a crucial component of comprehensive provincial strategy for
reducing energy consumption and costs for low-income consumers.
Information about the OEB's low-income energy consumer consultation
can be found at *
http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/OEB/Industry+Relations/OEB+Key+Initiatives/Consultation+on+Energy+Issues+-+Low+Income/
*<http://www.oeb.gov.on.ca/OEB/Industry+Relations/OEB+Key+Initiatives/Consultation+on+Energy+Issues+-+Low+Income/>
- *Fall conference to work on roadmap for national low-income energy
conservation program*
* *** From September 29 to October 1, 250 delegates from across Canada
will gather in Toronto to identify effective and innovative ways to improve
energy efficiency in low-income housing, and develop a roadmap for a
national low-income energy efficiency partnership.* Time for Action:
Tackling Energy Poverty in Canada Through Energy Efficiency***, sponsored by
Green Communities Canada, will be held at the Courtyard Marriott Toronto
Downtown.* Time for Action* builds on the success of a February 2005
national symposium in Halifax, sponsored by Canadian Housing and Renewal
Association. For more information and to register, please visit: *
http://www.gca.ca/indexcms/index.php?news*<http://www.gca.ca/indexcms/index.php?news>
- *Affordable energy and the Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy*
The Ontario government has committed to developing a Poverty
Reduction Strategy by the end of 2008. A series of government consultations
were held across the province in May and June, and Ontarians were invited to
submit ideas and comments either through the government's website at *
www.growingstronger.ca* <http://www.growingstronger.ca>, or by fax or
regular mail.
LIEN believes that the province's poverty reduction plan and its
long-term affordable housing strategy must both address energy poverty. The
LIEN submission to the Cabinet Committee on Poverty Reduction recommended
that the following changes be made to help low-income people who are finding
it increasingly difficult to afford their energy bills: (1) establish
permanent, adequately-funded energy conservation programs for low-income
consumers, with targets for the number of homes to be retrofitted annually.
Such programs should be available at no cost to eligible participants and be
equitably accessible province-wide; and (2) establish a permanent Ontario
Home Energy Affordability Program for low-income consumers.
LIEN has also made these recommendations in meetings held with the former
Energy Minister Gerry Phillips and with policy advisors to Ontario Premier
Dalton McGuinty. LIEN has requested to meet with George Smitherman who was
appointed the new Minister of Energy and Infrastructure in June 2008, and
expects to meet with Deb Matthews, the Chair of the Cabinet Committee on
Poverty Reduction.
- *LIEN's annual conference highlights opportunities to end energy
poverty*
The Low-Income Energy Network hosted its fourth annual conference on June
10th in Toronto. The conference, entitled*** Making Connections: Green
Pathways out of Energy Poverty***, involved over 50 participants
representing a range of organizations from the anti-poverty, affordable
housing and environmental communities, as well as representatives from
energy utilities. Participants focused on the opportunities presented by
Ontario's poverty reduction and long-term affordable housing strategies, and
climate change plan to address energy affordability for low-income
consumers.
- *Smart sub-metering of electricity in high-rise rental buildings – lost
conservation opportunities, missing tenant protections*
Many tenants in high-rise apartment buildings where landlords are
installing smart sub-meters are being asked or told to pay for electricity
service separately from their monthly rent without protections in place,
such as:
- Specific energy conservation obligations that landlords must meet
before smart meters are installed in rental units, including
requirements
for energy efficient appliances, and other energy conservation aspects
relating to the rental unit such as heating systems and
weatherization,
- Detailed, clear rules for reducing the rent fairly by an amount
that accounts for the cost of electricity consumption and
related costs, and
- Disclosure to prospective tenants of electricity consumption
information for a rental unit before a tenancy agreement is signed.
The Advocacy Centre for Tenants Ontario, a legal clinic and one of the LIEN
founding steering committee members, has produced an information flyer for
tenants being pressured to sign contracts with smart sub-metering companies,
and want to know what their rights are. The flyer is available at the
following link:
*http://www.cleonet.ca/resources/1644*<http://www.cleonet.ca/resources/1644>
- *Guide helps low-income tenants take action to save energy and money*
LIEN is pleased to announce a great new resource called "Saving Energy:
The 6-Step Guide to Tenant Action"! Offering a simple 6-step approach to get
neighbourhoods organized and working towards common goals, the Guide can
help kick start tenant-led energy conservation activities and more. In this
Guide you will find key advice every 'Step' of the way, examples and tips
based on lessons learned from real-world experiences, and a helpful 'Info &
Ideas' resource section at the end.
This Guide, written by the Toronto Environmental Alliance, is part of a
3-part project in partnership with LIEN to provide resources, workshops, and
program opportunities for low-income tenant neighbourhoods to work together,
take action and save energy.
We hope you will benefit from this Guide and share it with others. Get
your own FREE copy online by visiting *
http://lowincomeenergy.ca/A55AB4/lien.nsf/All/TEAguide*<http://lowincomeenergy.ca/A55AB4/lien.nsf/All/TEAguide>OR
*http://torontoenvironment.org/campaigns/climate/guide*<http://torontoenvironment.org/campaigns/climate/guide>
*LIEN Currents** is issued bi-monthly by the Low-Income Energy Network for
members and others interested in solutions to energy poverty in Ontario. For
more information, contact the LIEN Coordinator at
**bhanjiz at lao.on.ca*<bhanjiz at lao.on.ca>
* or 416-597-5855 ext. 5167 or t**oll-free at 1-866-245-4182 ext. 5167. You
can also visit our website at
**www.lowincomeenergy.ca*<http://www.lowincomeenergy.ca>
**
[image: Picture (Metafile)]********
*LIEN would like to express its appreciation to the Ontario Trillium
Foundation for supporting this initiative*
--
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible. Maya Angelou
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